organic _ robotix: Queer Art Show 4

Last week, I applied to be part of the Queer Art Show 4 which was situated within the Penthouse NQ on Hilton Street in Hilton House. The show is a protest against the commercialisation and change of etchic of Manchester Pride and as the title suggests, it is now in it's four year. Originally the show was set within Kraak Gallery and last year ir was taken to the streets near Sackville Street. I always wanted to be involved with the show being a gay artist and being gay and being an artist and this year I thought I had work strong enough to show.

The work that I decided to show was the triptych of Corporate Succinct Poetry which I have been working on. I had to source the frames from charity shops, respray them with lacquer and then rejigg the callages so they world look good. I then sought out the venue that was on the cusp off the Northern Quarter and Piccadilly.

I hadn't been down that way before and quite like the medley of old buildings and corporate towers. The Hilton House is a disused 1960s office blockand looks like it has been kept in aspic on the inside, which isn't a bad thing but quite a change really. The stairs from the top floor down are quite amazing with blue and white tiled pool at the bottom which looks like they had a fish pond at one point. I then proceeded to the elevator which was ramshackle but had a really up to date buttoning system. This place has character unlike my disused office block/studio which is all clean and corporate.

When I finally reached the top floor I had a breathtaking vista of the Northern Quarter/Ancoats and a small area of Piccadilly Gardens. I was meet by Roseanne and her little dog and had a pleasant chat about the space and the logistics of the up and coming exhibition/event. I had to leave quite quickly as being my anniversary and my partner organising a meal, I needed to exit.

I love the building though, very much modernist but quite personable. I'd love to get up on the roof though and have a barbeque or something..

After working in the studio from 11am and the time ticking to 6pm, I had to get the event pretty sharpish. It is only a 20 minute walk over so I didn't get there too late. Sadly, I was on a punch card system again on the night as I had a train to catch but I spent a few hours hanging around the Penthouse. I liked some of the work on show, most specifically Debbie Sharp's Framed assemblage, Sian Williams' Is Your Gate Clean triptych of video work that contained two film based (8mm I think, I may be wrong) with projectors and a piece of work that was on the wall but was unnamed. I love assemblage and being the core element to my own work, I felt drawn to Sharp's work and just thought Williams' work was serene.

Jez Dolan's wreath-like screenprint was very spectral and HOMO_CULT was gaudy as ever but quite fun. I did a show a few years ago with these guys and quite liked their work then as well. Andrew Adshead's work was very kitch and strange but very yeah but I missed the Gary Fisher/Roseanne Robertson sound work that I looking forward to as I had to get my train. Stirred Poetry was interesting that started the nights proceedings. Some of the poetry/prose was really er..stirring. I am sorry but two friends arrived and as we hadn't seen each other for awhile, we talked a little animately. I got some good news that night and had to celebrate.

Other than that, I had quite a good experience at the event and am priviliged to have been part of it. I will certainly visit the Penthouse again as a viewer and hopefully as an exhibitor.